Department for Transport

*No heading*

lord blencathra: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to develop plans to train a pool of alternative train drivers to replace those who go on strike.

lord callanan: No. Train operators are responsible for operational staffing and ongoing recruitment, where necessary, to meet their contracted obligations.

*No heading*

lord framlingham: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely cost of tickets for travel on HS2 between London Euston and Manchester.

lord callanan: The case for HS2 assumes that existing fares policy applies to passengers travelling on HS2 services.

*No heading*

lord framlingham: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of estimates that over 60,000 bodies will need to be exhumed from St James Gardens, Camden, to facilitate the building of HS2.

lord callanan: All human remains affected by Phase One of HS2 will be afforded due dignity, care and respect. The St James’s Gardens burial ground was assessed as part of the environmental impact assessment for the project. Information was presented in the Environmental Statement that was submitted to Parliament in support the passage of the Bill through the House of Commons and House of Lords Select committees respectively. Since then, further research has been undertaken into the history and development of the St. James’s burial ground to inform the development of design. Archival material relating to the burial ground includes burial records, plans of the layout of the ground, land transfer agreements, newspapers and letters.

*No heading*

lord framlingham: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of disruption to existing passenger services during the construction of HS2.

lord callanan: The design of HS2 has sought to minimise disruption to the conventional rail network during construction. While the majority of construction works will not affect the existing railway, ‘possessions’ will be needed so that works on or near the existing railway can be done safely. As many as possible of these works will be undertaken at night and weekend maintenance periods so as to minimise disruption to passenger and freight services. However, for certain major HS2 works that cannot be accommodated within these maintenance periods, possessions of a longer duration will be required. Possessions will be booked by or through Network Rail (NR) in accordance with standard industry processes and will be planned to minimise disruption. In planning engineering works HS2 Ltd and NR will work with train operators and freight operators to make sure there are suitable alternative route and travel options available. The possessions planning process includes consultation with the wider railway industry, including operators and users, to ensure that the relevant information is provided, that the possessions are considered in the context of wider railway operations, and that appropriate mitigation measures are put in place. Where compensation is due for the impacts of possessions on operators, it is anticipated such compensation will be provided in accordance with standard industry processes. We continue to work with HS2 and other organisations to reduce the impact of works.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government how many contracts have been awarded in relation to Phase One of HS2 to suppliers based in (1) England, (2) Wales, (3) Scotland, (4) Northern Ireland, and (5)EUmember states other than the UK; and what is the value of the contracts falling into each of those categories.

lord callanan: All active suppliers that HS2 Ltd has paid count as a direct supplier. This includes contracts for Enabling Works and Professional Services. The current HS2 tier 1 supply chain is comprised of 1,498 unique suppliers, of which 1,467 (98%) are UK based suppliers (based on the postcode of their registered address) and 1,012 (69%) of these UK suppliers are SMEs (based on turnover). A breakdown of this figure, based on geography is provided as follows: England, 1,425Wales, 17Scotland, 19Northern Ireland, 2EU member states other than the UK, 4 (all of these contracts have gone to suppliers in Republic of Ireland)

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Construction

lord berkeley: Her Majesty's Government how they intend to finance the construction of HS2 Phase 1; and whether they intend to use a Public Private-Partnership arrangement for any of the construction work.

lord callanan: Delivery of HS2 is being taken forward on the basis of public funding by HM Treasury. A long-term funding envelope of £55.7bn (2015 prices) was set out in Spending Review 2015, of which £27.18bn is allocated to Phase 1. We will continue to explore opportunities for private financing, where this offers value for money to the taxpayer.

High Speed Two: Redundancy Pay

lord truscott: Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to seek the return of £1.76 million in unauthorised redundancy payments to HS2 executives, as detailed in the National Audit Office's report into its 2016–17 accounts.

lord callanan: HS2 Ltd have a legal obligation to honour the redundancy payments made to individuals who were employed and will not be seeking their recovery. HS2 Ltd will manage these payments within their existing budgets and as such the Department for Transport will not be providing any additional funds to cover these costs. HS2 Ltd are putting in place controls to ensure that this does not happen again and are working to implement the recommendations of the NAO in full.

High Speed Two: Redundancy Pay

lord berkeley: Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to recover the unapproved redundancy payments of £1.76 million to HS2 staff as reported by the National Audit Office; and why HS2 ignored the instruction of the Department for Transport not to make enhanced redundancy payments.

lord callanan: Owing to a failure of internal process by HS2 Ltd an instruction from the Department for Transport not to enhance redundancy payments was not communicated down the organisation and as a result HS2 Ltd operated compulsory and voluntary redundancy schemes on enhanced terms without receiving authority from the Department for Transport or Her Majesty’s Treasury. HS2 Ltd have a legal obligation to honour the redundancy payments made to individuals who were employed and will not be seeking their recovery. HS2 Ltd will manage these payments within their existing budgets and as such the Department for Transport will not be providing any additional funds to cover these costs. HS2 Ltd are putting in place controls to ensure that this does not happen again and are working to implement the recommendations of the NAO in full.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Forests

lord framlingham: Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to avoid damaging the 63 ancient woodlands that lie on the proposed route of HS2.

lord callanan: HS2 Ltd has sought to avoid ancient woodland wherever practicable and to strike the right balance between the effects on people, the natural environment, engineering requirements and cost. Substantial woodland planting measures are included in our plans on Phase 1 which have been arranged to link neighbouring woodlands and support greater habitat creation. Ancient woodland soils, containing their seeds, spores and bulbs, will be translocated to new woodland creation sites. The effects on ancient woodland will continue to be reviewed through the detailed design on Phase 1 and will be further supported by an additional £5 million Woodland Fund in addition to HS2’s main landscape and habitat creation programme. An independent Ecology Review Group, members of which include Natural England, local authorities, nature conservation NGOs such as the wildlife and woodland trusts will have regular access to the monitoring outputs from habitat creation sites and will be invited to comment on progress and the requirement for any remedial action. For locations where it is intended to use ancient woodland soils for new woodland planting, monitoring will be undertaken over a 50-year establishment period.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Camden

lord framlingham: Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of London Plane trees in Camden that will be endangered by the construction of HS2.

lord callanan: HS2 Ltd have set up a Camden specific Tree Panel which includes community and local council representatives. HS2 contractors are required to report to the Panel prior to the removal of any tree and to justify why a tree has to be removed. HS2 Ltd is committed to replace the same number of trees that are lost in the London Borough of Camden. In terms of specific tree species, such as the London Plane, a detailed understanding will be provided through site surveys. HS2 Ltd have instructed its contractors to undertake such surveys but accurate figures cannot be established until HS2 have completed their detailed design for the works.

Space Technology: Licensing

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government when they envisage completing the implementation of the licensing regime for spaceports in the UK; and, if completion will not take place until 2020 or later, what consideration they have given to expediting that process.

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government what steps need to be taken before they are able to lay secondary legislation before Parliament for the licensing of spaceports in the UK; and when they intend to lay that secondary legislation.

lord callanan: Regulators will be in a position to start accepting licence applications for spaceports and spaceflight activities once the Space Industry Bill has been enacted and the supporting secondary legislation and guidance are in place. Our intention is to lay the main statutory instruments in summer 2019, subject to Government priorities and Parliamentary time. This allows time for the necessary detailed policy development, consultation and drafting of secondary legislation and guidance to support a robust and effective licensing regime. This will be done in close liaison with industry and other stakeholders.

Railway Stations: Disability

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport on 29 April 2014 (HCWS47), whether they will publish the agreed deadlines for the completion of disability access improvements as part of the Access for All scheme at each of the 42 railway stations mentioned in that statement.

lord callanan: We remain committed to delivering the Access for All programme in full and details of all the stations selected since 2006 are available on the Network Rail website at: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/passengers/station-improvements/access-for-all/ This includes the current planned completion timescales for the stations in construction or development.

Taxis: Regulation

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to modernise the regulations governing taxi services.

lord callanan: At the request of the Department for Transport, the Law Commission has undertaken a comprehensive review of taxi and private hire regulation in England and Wales. The Government is currently considering all the recommendations in the Law Commission’s report against the backdrop of a rapidly changing sector and will formally respond to the Law Commission and announce its intentions once this scrutiny is completed.

Southern: Fares

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 11 July (HL207), why they regard the recommendations of the Gibb Report as inconsistent with their fares policy.

lord callanan: As stated in my previous response, we cannot make changes to the Southern fares structure in isolation. Any changes will need to take a holistic view. This is due to the potential knock-on effect with other operators, such as complicating existing fares structures which would not be beneficial to passengers.

Tyne and Wear Metro

lord shipley: Her Majesty's Government when they will announce their decision on the funding of the new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet; what options they have considered in making that decision; and what assessment they have made of the long-term financialconsequences for local authorities of each of those options.

lord callanan: The Department for Transport and HM Treasury officials continue to work with Nexus regarding their proposals for new rolling stock on the Metro. No decision has been reached as to which funding model is the most appropriate.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

*No heading*

lord taylor of warwick: Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of the benefits and costs of being anassociate member of Euratom.

lord prior of brampton: The nature of the UK’s future arrangements with Euratom and the EU will be subject to negotiation. Government’s aim throughout the negotiations with the European Commission will be to maintain our mutually successful civil nuclear cooperation with Euratom and the rest of the world.

*No heading*

lord mawson: Her Majesty's Government what research and analysis they intend to undertake to assess the impact of, including the unintended consequences of,the implementation of Good work: the Taylor review of modern working practices, published in July, on (1) the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and (2), the enterprise culture in the UK.

lord prior of brampton: I made an oral statement to the House on 11 July 2017 to announce the publication of the Matthew Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices. The report is comprehensive and detailed and, as Matthew Taylor himself recognises, is just the start of a long term programme. It will require detailed, careful thought and further consultation. It is important that we take action where we need to. This Government will give the report the careful consideration it deserves and will respond in full later this year.

*No heading*

baroness hayter of kentish town: Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to convert Regulation (EU) 1223/2009 on cosmetic products into UK law; and, if so, which UK body will assume the role of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety in providing the scientific analysis of products to be placed in the market; and who will replace the Commission's role in ensuring products using prohibited forms of animal testing do not enter the market.

lord prior of brampton: Regulation (EU) 1223/2009 is directly applicable in the United Kingdom. The Repeal Bill will convert directly applicable EU law into UK law, and provide a power to correct parts of the law that no longer work. The Government is currently considering how to ensure functions currently carried out by the European Commission continue in the UK in an appropriate way.

*No heading*

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to extend the remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator to cover the dairy sector.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to extend the remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator to cover the dairy sector.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the results of their review into the role and remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator; and whetherthe Adjudicatorwill have powers to (1)investigatealleged breachesof the Code on her own initiative, and (2) increase the level of fines in the event of a breach of the Code.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the results of their review into the role and remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator; and whetherthe Adjudicatorwill have powers to (1)investigatealleged breachesof the Code on her own initiative, and (2) increase the level of fines in the event of a breach of the Code.

lord prior of brampton: The Government published the statutory review of the Grocery Code Adjudicator on 19 July. This review considered the Grocery Code Adjudicator’s performance within the current remit. The Government separately launched a Call for Evidence to consider whether the remit should be extended. The Government is considering the evidence submitted through the Call for Evidence including considering the position of indirect suppliers within the dairy sector. The Government will respond in due course. The Grocery Code Adjudicator can already investigate suspected breaches of the Code. It has published statutory guidance on how it will carry out investigation and enforcement functions on GOV.UK (GCA Statutory Guidance on Enforcement and Investigations). The review decided that the maximum level of fines the Grocery Code Adjudicator could impose would not be amended at this time.

*No heading*

baroness jolly: Her Majesty's Government what is the budget of the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate for 2017–18; how many staff it expects to employ in 2017–18; and how many staff it employed in each of the last five years.

lord prior of brampton: The Employment Agency Standards (EAS) Inspectorate currently employs thirteen members of staff and has a budget of £750,000 for the financial year 2017/18. The table below details the number of staff employed by EAS in the last five years: YearNumber of Full Time Equivalent Staff as of the 1st April for each year2012/13162013/14122014/152 (supported by an Administrative Officer)2015/16112016/17112017/1813

*No heading*

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to increase the use of rooftop solar power.

lord prior of brampton: Solar PV is a UK success story. In 2013 we estimated that solar capacity would reach 10-12GW by 2020. We now expect Government support to bring forward around 13 GW by 2020. The Feed-in Tariff remains open to solar PV which provides an incentive for businesses to invest in rooftop solar.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the Euratom Supply Agency.

lord prior of brampton: The European Supply Agency forms part of Euratom Treaty arrangements. The UK will leave the European Supply Agency at the same time that it leaves Euratom. The nature of future arrangements with Euratom and the EU will be subject to negotiation which started this month. Our aim throughout the negotiations with the European Commission will be to maintain our mutually successful civil nuclear cooperation with Euratom and the rest of the world. The UK is keen to ensure that there is minimal disruption to civil nuclear trade following the UK’s withdrawal from Euratom. We have bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreements (NCAs) in place with several countries that we will continue to rely on after our exit from Euratom.We intend to maintain continuity of cooperation with our international partners and will develop new arrangements as necessary.

*No heading*

lord lester of herne hill: Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the benefits and costs to the UK of membership of the Euratom Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy.

lord prior of brampton: The EU’s Joint Undertaking for ITER (F4E) funds the €540m p.a. EU contribution to the ITER programme. This is funded primarily through the EU central budget with small additional membership fees from member states. The UK pays a €290,000 annual membership fee directly to F4E. UK membership of F4E gives UK scientists and engineers the opportunity to work at, and in partnership with, ITER on development of fusion as a clean, safe and virtually inexhaustible energy source. It also gives the UK access to intellectual property developed at ITER and helps the UK maintain its position as a world leader in fusion technology. F4E membership has enabled the UK to win high-value ITER construction contracts, with opportunities to bid for significantly more during the construction which has a current budget of €14.4bn overall and will be complete in 2025.

Tickets: Sales

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the secondary tickets market meets expected standards of consumer protection and fairness; if it does not, whether they intend to lay secondary legislation under the Consumer Rights Act 2015; and if so, when.

lord prior of brampton: The Government appointed Professor Waterson to review consumer protections in the secondary ticketing market. He produced his report last year and in March 2017 the Government responded accepting his report in full and included amendments to the Digital Economy Act designed to enhance protections further. The Government has no plans to introduce additional legislation on the matter under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

Tickets: Sales

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure full cooperation between international jurisdictions to facilitate legal action against alleged abuses propagated within the secondary ticketing market.

lord prior of brampton: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is currently undertaking an enforcement investigation and will liaise with other international enforcement bodies as necessary to progress the investigation.The CMA is the lead UK member in the Consumer Protection Cooperation partnership and has strong working relationships with other countries.

Energy: Fraud

baroness byford: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 24 April (HL6622), what assessment they have made of mass marketing scams that target energy customers.

baroness byford: Her Majesty's Government how many mass marketing scams targeting energy customers there have been since 2010.

baroness byford: Her Majesty's Government how many victims of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers since 2016 have required assistance from (1) local authorities, and (2) National Trading Standards.

baroness byford: Her Majesty's Government how much money the victims of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers have lost since 2010.

lord prior of brampton: National Trading Standards (NTS) work with various bodies including the police to tackle mass marketing frauds across all sectors, including energy.The NTS scams teams work with local authorities to provide support to victims. The team currently has agreements with nearly two hundred local authorities to provide additional support for victims in their areas to help them rebuild their lives. The Department does not hold data on number of mass marketing scams targeting energy customers, the number of victims targeted or the amount of money they have lost.

Business: Billing

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 13 July (HL392), whether they will publish the number of businesses which have been issued an invitation to the online payment practices reporting service, broken down by (1) company type, (2) company size, and (3) sector.

lord prior of brampton: To date, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have directly issued invitations to the payment practices reporting online service to 208 people. The Department does not hold specific information about company type, size or sector of those invited to the service.

Radioisotopes

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government, following the UK’s departure from Euratom, (1) whether they have any plans for molybdenum-99 to be produced in the UK; (2) whether design plans for nuclear reactors to produce molybdenum-99 have been approved and tendered; (3) what is the location of any new reactors located in the UK; (4) what is their assessment of how much such reactors will cost; and (5) what is the estimated unit cost of domestic production compared to current import prices.

lord prior of brampton: Euratom places no restrictions on the export of medical isotopes to countries outside the EU. Such isotopes are not subject to Euratom Supply Agency contracts or to Euratom safeguards.

Housing: Construction

baroness redfern: Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofthe impact of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund on the construction industry in delivering future housing needs.

lord prior of brampton: The new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), announced in November 2016, will back priority technologies where the UK has the potential to turn research strengths into a global industrial and commercial lead.   The first challenges announced as part of the ISCF will invest over £1bn in creating the UK industries of the future. There will be a wave 2 and Government will be consulting further with industry and other stakeholders over the summer.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

*No heading*

lord suri: Her Majesty's Government what level of grant-in-aid funding was provided to each service within the BBC World Service in each of the financial years 1987–88 to 2014–15; and, for each service, how muchof thatfunding was allocated to (1) operating grants-in-aid, and (2) capital grants.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The overall information on grant-in-aid funding to the BBC World Service is available to Parliament through the Supplementary Estimates, however the information for each service is not available. The Supplementary Estimates should be available online for a large part of the period in question but the Parliamentary library should hold the information for the whole period in question.

*No heading*

baroness barker: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the living conditions for gay men in Chechnya,including whether those conditions have changed for the better or worse in 2017.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have long held concerns about the human rights situation in Chechnya, in particular the hostile environment for members of the LGBT community. We assess the situation to have deteriorated significantly in 2017, and remain deeply concerned by the continued detention, torture and murder of LGBT people. Statements attributed to the authorities in Chechnya, implying that such treatment towards LGBT people is acceptable, are particularly abhorrent and could incite further violence against LGBT persons.

*No heading*

baroness barker: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Russia regarding violence against, and thedetention of, people who are perceived, or identify, as LGBT in Chechnya.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials from our Embassy in Moscow have raised our concerns at a senior level with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 28 April, the Foreign Secretary, together with his Dutch, German, French and Swedish counterparts, co-signed a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov urging the Russian Government to investigate the reports and ensure the safety of activists and journalists investigating these abuses. The UK has also taken action in a number of multilateral fora; making our concerns clear in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Council of Europe and the UN Human Rights Council.

*No heading*

baroness barker: Her Majesty's Government what assistancethey haveoffered to human rights organisations seeking to investigate cases of reported killings, detentions and torture of people who are perceived, or identify, as LGBT in Chechnya.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is continuing to work closely with and provide support to the relevant non-governmental organisations that are supporting victims fleeing the persecution in Chechnya. This is in keeping with the Embassy's longstanding support for LGBT rights in Russia.

*No heading*

baroness coussins: Her Majesty's Government whether the UK will be represented at the British Council Language and DevelopmentConference 2017,to be held in Dakar in November; and if so, by whom.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK will be represented at the British Council Language and Development Conference 2017. The level of representation has not yet been determined.

*No heading*

lord black of brentwood: Her Majesty's Government whetherthey havereceived any representations about the content of a video published by the British Embassy in Ljubljana in February to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Slovenia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Minister of State for Europe and the Americas received a letter about the video from a former chair of the British-Slovene Society. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office sent a reply on 8 June 2017.

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government when they last made representations to the government of China regarding refoulement of North Korean refugees to North Korea; and whatresponse they received.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We most recently raised the issue of non-refoulement of North Korean refugees with the Chinese authorities at the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue in Beijing on 27 June.We restated our belief that North Korean refugees fleeing the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should be treated as such under the 1951 refugee convention.We are aware of reports that those returned to the DPRK have been subject to mistreatment by the authorities. The UK continues to raise our human rights concerns directly with the DPRK regime through our bilateral engagement and in international fora.

*No heading*

baroness coussins: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Peruvian government regarding thepublication of any information regarding the register of victims of forced sterilisations, introduced in November 2015, including disclosure of any plans pertaining to reparation for victims.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Lima continues to monitor developments on this issue. However, we have not made representations to the Peruvian Government on the publication of information regarding the register of victims of forced sterilisations, introduced in November 2015.Foreign Office officials met representatives of Amnesty International and the Peru Support Group to discuss the matter on 26 June. Esperanza Huayama, President of the Association of Women of Huancabamba, who was directly affected by the programme of forced sterilisations joined that meeting.

*No heading*

lord scriven: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain regarding the detention on politically-related charges of Bahraini women in Isa Town Women's Prison.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK Government raises human rights concerns with the Bahraini authorities in private and in public and will continue to do so. We encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its international and domestic human rights commitments.

*No heading*

lord scriven: Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working towards securing the temporary release of Mohammad Ramadan, who was sentenced to death by a Bahraini court in December 2014.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It would be for the Bahraini authorities to process any application for temporary release on compassionate grounds and we would suggest any application be put to the relevant authorities and oversight bodies, including the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman.

*No heading*

lord harries of pentregarth: Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in response to the continued violation of human rights in West Papua, most recently the arrest of 130 people taking part in a peaceful march between 30 June and 6 July.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We follow the situation in Papua with close interest, whilst respecting the territorial integrity of Indonesia. We recognise there are significant challenges in Papua and are concerned about the sporadic violence and restrictions on freedom of expression which continue to take place, such as the events in Nabire District between 29 June and 6 July. As a result, we have pressed the Indonesian authorities to address legitimate concerns and ensure the sustainable and equitable development of the province. Our Ambassador and Embassy officials visit Papua periodically. Officials most recently visited earlier this month and our Ambassador will visit again later this year. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Indonesian authorities. We also raised the issue of access to Papua for foreign journalists during Indonesia's Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in May 2017.We welcome the Indonesian Government's commitment to improving the situation in Papua. President Widodo has visited a number of times since his election in 2014 and has granted clemency to some prisoners and lifted travel restrictions for foreign journalists and international organisations. These are welcome developments, which we support.

*No heading*

lord jones of cheltenham: Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the US regarding bringing forward repairs to the Wideawake airfield runway on Ascension.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Ministry of Defence, the lead Government Department for the refurbishment of the Wideawake runway, continues to liaise closely and regularly with the US Department of Defense and State Department regarding their plans for the interim repair work and a full resurfacing programme. The UK Government continues to work with the US to scope options to bring forward the refurbishment, but due to the remote nature of Ascension Island options are limited by logistical constraints.

Libya: EU Immigration

lord blencathra: Her Majesty's Government whatis the closest distance to the Libyan coast that EU migrant search and rescue missions operate; whether migrants picked up at a certain distance are returned to Libya and not brought to the EU; and if so, what is that distance.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Vessels engaged in Operation Sophia, the EU Naval Force Mediterranean, and Operation Triton, the EU's border control and surveillance mission, are not currently authorised to operate in Libyan territorial waters, which, though disputed, are considered, for the purposes of EU operations, to extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline. No-one rescued by these vessels is taken to Libya.

Nuclear Weapons: Proliferation

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what meetings they have had in the last two years under the P5 Process with the five nuclear weapons states recognised under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK hosted the Conference of P5 Nuclear Weapon States in London in 2015, and the US hosted the Conference in Washington in September 2016. There has been ongoing dialogue between conferences.

Department for International Development

Middle East: Internally Displaced People

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government whether they have received evidence that those working for (1) the UNHCR, and (2) other UN agencies, are failing to protect internally displaced (a) Christians, (b) Syriacs, and (c) Chaldeans, in Northern Iraq and Syria; and if so, what was their response.

lord bates: The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We have not received evidence indicating that staff of UN agencies are failing to discharge their protection mandates with regard to these minorities in Northern Iraq and Syria. DFID considers reports from a wide range of sources, including field visits by UK officials where these are possible, to assess the effectiveness of UN agencies, including in discharging their protection mandates. DFID takes any allegations that they are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.Lord Bates and Minister Burt have arranged a joint meeting with Lord Alton and interested parties to discuss this important issue.

Syria: Refugees

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of (1) the written evidence submitted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief to the International Development Committeeon 20 October 2015 that local workers employed by UNHCR were giving preferential access to aid and food resources to Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey who shared the religious beliefs of those workers, and (2) the extent to which such practices are continuing.

lord bates: The Government takes extremely seriously any allegations that UN staff are giving preferential access to aid on the basis of the religious affiliation of beneficiaries. This would contravene international humanitarian principles and the UN’s own guidelines. Lord Bates and Minister Burt have arranged a joint meeting with Lord Alton and interested parties to discuss this important issue.

Developing Countries: Snakes

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what priority the Department for International Development plans to give to the issue of snakebite envenoming, given that the WHO considers it to be a category A neglected tropical disease.

lord bates: The UK Government recognises the importance of snakebite envenoming (the act of being poisoned) and is carrying out research in this area. DFID and the Medical Research Council are currently funding the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to develop a new ‘universal anti-venom’ to treat victims of any of 21 of the most venomous snakes that threaten human health in sub-Saharan Africa.In addition, DFID launched a call for expressions of interest for the development of new technologies in March this year. New anti-venoms to treat snake bites were highlighted as one of the areas where research is needed. The intent is to develop anti-venom that can be stored safely at ambient temperature, avoiding the need for refrigeration.

Developing Countries: Diseases

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development intends only to focus on eradicable neglected tropical diseases.

lord bates: DFID is tackling a range of neglected tropical diseases. One of these, Guinea Worm, is close to eradication. On others – for example schistosomiasis, trachoma and lymphatic filariasis – we are part of a global effort to control and eliminate infections. DFID support to action against these diseases is determined by disease burden, value for money, and the impact on the poor and vulnerable populations they affect.

Gaza: United Nations

baroness tonge: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 18 July (HL659), whether they expect to receive a report from the UN on its mission to Gaza on 10 July, in which they participated; and if so, when.

lord bates: The UN issued a press release and a report on Gaza’s socio-economic status to coincide with its mission to Gaza on 10 July, in which the UK participated. We do not anticipate any further reporting from the UN on this mission, but are working closely with them to monitor the situation in Gaza.

Burundi: Humanitarian Aid

the lord bishop of durham: Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bates on 19 July (HL Deb, cols 1616–17), whether humanitarian assistance to (1)the 700,000 in need of food aid, and (2) the three million in need of humanitarian aid, in Burundi will continue to be made available through organisationssuch asTearfund, Christian Aid and Oxfam.

lord bates: DFID is providing £8 million of life-saving humanitarian assistance over the next three years in Burundi. This will support more than 20,000 food insecure households, including 8,000 malnourished children. Implementing partners have not yet been confirmed, but this support is likely to be delivered through both UN agencies and international non-governmental organisations with a strong track record in Burundi. The Foreign Office continues to work Christian Aid in Burundi to empower local communities to oppose sexual violence.

Libya: Overseas Aid

lord empey: Her Majesty's Government whether they have provided any resources to persons or organisations in Libya from the budget of the Department for International Development; and if so, to which projects those resources were allocated.

lord bates: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports Libyan authorities and civil society organisations to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable Libyans, migrants and refugees, working with trusted humanitarian agencies including the International Organisation for Migration (IoM). In addition, DFID is funding a project with the World Bank to improve public financial management in Libya’s key financial institutions, as part of the cross-Departmental Conflict, Security and Stability Fund for Libya.

South Sudan: Education

the earl of sandwich: Her Majesty's Government what financial support they have provided, if any, to the Girls' Education South Sudan programme, including for that organisation'scash transfer system that ensures that girls who are displaced due to violence can continue to receive an education.

lord bates: The UK is the sole donor to the Girls’ Education South Sudan programme and will contribute £60 million over 5 years. In 2016, we provided £14.1 million for grants to girls and payments to schools.In 2016 the programme provided cash transfers equivalent to approximately £15 each to 135,000 girls, to help them to remain in school. By the end of the programme we will have supported over 200,000 girls.

Overseas Aid

baroness tonge: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to re-establish funding for (1) the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and (2) Marie Stopes International; and if so, when.

lord bates: DFID highly values our partnership with civil society. We have just launched a call for proposals for Promoting Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) through DFID’s new UK Aid Connect funding mechanism. We strongly encourage all organisations with a track record in SRHR to apply. In addition, MSI and IPPF regularly bid for and deliver DFID programmes on sexual health and reproductive rights.

Department for Education

*No heading*

lord jopling: Her Majesty's Government which higher education providers have declined to participate in the Teaching Excellence Framework.

lord nash: The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a voluntary process. Providers opt to participate, rather than opting out. The Higher Education Funding Council, who are responsible for delivering the TEF, have published a list of providers who have opted in on their website: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/tefoutcomes/.

*No heading*

marquess of lothian: Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised the issue of potential cuts to the Fulbright Programme as a result of the US administration's budget proposals during her meeting with President Trump at the recent G20 summit.

lord nash: No, the Prime Minister did not discuss the Fulbright Programme with President Trump at the recent G20 summit.

*No heading*

lord mccoll of dulwich: Her Majesty's Government whether social workers working with children who show indicators that they may be victims of modern slavery receive any training on the Achieving Best Evidence guidelines.

lord nash: The government recognises the need for a well-trained social work workforce and continues to invest in their education and training. The knowledge and skills statements set out what they should know and be able to do. Copies of the statements are attached. In general the training needs of individual social workers are a matter for them and their employers, but where a need is identified we would expect relevant activity to be undertaken. We are, however, aware that many local authorities provide training on modern slavery for their social workers.



Knowledge and skills statement for practitioners
(PDF Document, 191.1 KB)




Knowledge and skills statement for practice leader
(PDF Document, 195.13 KB)

Ministry of Justice

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government what action they will take, and what resources they will provide, to ensure that recommendations they accept from (1) HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, and (2) the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman,are fullyimplemented.

lord keen of elie: We take recommendations from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prison and Probation Ombudsman very seriously. We are strengthening performance management and assurance arrangements of prisons, particularly in responding to recommendations from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prison and Probation Ombudsman reports. To ensure that recommendations are acted upon we are putting in place a robust system to track progress on implementation in prisons. We have already introduced functional and geographical Group Director roles with more manageable spans of control to provide greater support for governors and empowered governors to make decisions about their prisons so they will be subject to less rigid instructions and can determine how best to spend their allocated budget. Governors will have a greater level of personal responsibility to ensure that recommendations are implemented. [Where recommendations concern safer custody, Regional Safer Custody Leads provide assurance for Prison Group Directors that appropriate action has been taken.

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government whether they are developing strategies in relation to (1) death from natural causes, (2) mental health issues, and (3) suicides for (a) prisoners in general, (b) older prisoners, and (c) prisoners on indeterminate sentences who are held beyond their initial tariff.

lord keen of elie: We are committed to improving the support that we offer to prisoners at risk of self-harm or suicide. We expect the most important and effective measures to be the investment of £100 million for recruitment of 2,500 new staff, and the introduction of new offender management arrangements in prisons under which each key worker will have particular responsibility for a small number of prisoners. These will greatly enhance the time and resources available to support prisoners who are at risk. New training is being rolled out across the estate to support our staff to identify the risks and triggers of suicide and self-harm and understand what they can do to support prisoners at risk. The new training package consists of six sections including awareness training for staff on supporting prisoners with mental health issues. We have put in place specialist roles (regional safer custody leads) in every region to provide advice to prisons and to spread good practice on identifying and supporting prisoners at risk. We are using experts – including providing extra funding for the Samaritans to provide targeted support for prison staff and to prisoners directly. Other measures are being developed as part of our safety programme, which includes specific strands of work on the early days in custody; the case management of prisoners at risk; improvements to the built environment of prisons; and building hopefulness amongst prisoners, including through family and peer support. Older PrisonersElderly and frail prisoners receive support from NHS clinical services and local authority social care, as well as from prison officers. All staff are trained to appropriate professional standards for their contribution to care. Supporting elderly prisoners is covered in entry-level prison officer training. Prison officers are provided with guidance on dementia and also receive advice and guidance from occupational therapists and social workers at a local level. We are working closely with clinical leaders and social care services to improve our understanding of the impacts of dementia across prisons. We are currently working to improve our knowledge about the particular health and social needs of older prisoners so we can determine how we might meet these requirements. We have set up a working group to explore this issue. This work will include taking expert advice on what changes we might need to make to the estate or to the regime. Indeterminate Sentence Prisoners beyond tariffThe release of prisoners serving indeterminate sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) who have completed their tariff is a matter for the independent Parole Board. HMPPS is focused on giving IPP prisoners the support, opportunities and motivation they need to progress more quickly when they are reviewed by the Parole Board so that they have the best possible prospect for securing release. HMPPS and the Parole Board have implemented a joint action plan, the purpose of which is to deliver further improvements and efficiencies in the effort to help IPP prisoners progress towards release.

Ministry of Defence

*No heading*

lord campbell of pittenweem: Her Majesty's Government what proposalsthey havefor maintaining the UK's intelligence, surveillance, targeting, acquisition, and reconnaissance capability.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence continues to sustain and deliver multiple intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) programmes in line with our announcements during the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. These capabilities enable us to build our understanding across the five domains of Space, Maritime, Land, Air and Cyber. We also continue to benefit from significant investment in our ability to share intelligence across Government and with key Allies. During 2016, two major ISTAR programmes sponsored by Joint Forces Command and now in delivery with the Royal Air Force received approval to proceed to the demonstration and manufacture phases of the acquisition cycle. The P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be operated from RAF Lossiemouth and enhance our ability to counter an increasing submarine threat. Protector will replace Reaper as the UK's armed remotely piloted air system (RPAS) capability and will be equipped with UK precision-guided weapons. Our Signals Intelligence capability has been enhanced by improvements to Royal Navy platforms and by the recent delivery of the third Airseeker aircraft. We have also learned much from the investment in our ability to fuse open source intelligence with more traditional sources, and our ability to analyse this increasing amount of data will be improved by further investment in data science capabilities. Finally, in order to ensure the UK remains one step ahead of our adversaries, we continue to invest in science and technology to develop new sensors and improve our ability to exploit information.

*No heading*

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on scientific and technical research into nuclear verification since 2015; whether the UK is actively seeking other non-nuclear weapons states partners; and what resources they have allocated for this work until 2020.

earl howe: Since 2015 the UK has conducted a series of successful exercises to support our ability to assess the efficiency and limitations of potential warhead reduction treaty verification technologies. The UK has drawn together its bilateral verification research programmes with Norway and the US to form a quadrilateral research initiative with Norway, the US and Sweden. Additionally it makes its nuclear disarmament verification research available to the International Partnership on Nuclear Disarmament Verification, the majority of members of which are non-nuclear weapons states. The Ministry of Defence has an active Arms Control Verification Research programme, at the Atomic Weapons Establishment. I am withholding further information on resources as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice commercial interests.

Navy: Engineers

lord mackenzie of culkein: Her Majesty's Government whether there has been an improvement in the recruitment and retention of engineer officers and senior engine room ratings in both the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary following the recent Ministry of Defence studies into remuneration packages.

earl howe: The Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) have a number of measures, both remunerative and non-remunerative, to improve the recruitment and retention of engineers. Given the range of measures in place, it is not possible to attribute the overall effect on retention and recruitment to a particular measure or study.There are positive signs for the RN in terms of engineering officer and rating recruitment and retention, and for RFA retention. However, like many employers in the maritime sector, both the RN and the RFA face a significant challenge in recruiting engineering expertise, and they will continue to assess their personnel requirements and the ways in which this situation can be addressed.

RAF Northolt

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government how much revenue the RAF secured from operating commercial flights at RAF Northolt in each of the last three years.

earl howe: Income from civilian commercial aviation using RAF Northolt for the last three financial years (FY) is given below.Additional income is generated by leases and I will write to the Noble Baroness with further details. FYFinancial Income (£millions)2016-178.62015-165.72014-156.8

RAF Northolt

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government what contribution is being made by operators of commercial flights at RAF Northolt towards the cost of upgrading the runway and airport facilities.

earl howe: RAF Northolt is a military airbase and the runway and airfield facilities at the Station are being upgraded in order to meet military operational requirements. Civilian commercial operators are charged to utilise irreducible spare capacity at the Station,but have not been asked to contribute to the cost of the upgrades.

RAF Northolt

baroness randerson: Her Majesty's Government whether a noise mitigation plan exists for RAF Northolt; and if so, howthat plancan be accessed by members of the public.

earl howe: Stringent noise abatement procedures are in place for aircraft movements and ground engine runs. These are published online in the RAF Northolt Defence Aerodrome Manual which can be accessed via the RAF Northolt website at the link below:http://www.londonvipairport.com/docs/operatingmanual.pdf



RAF NORTHOLT Defence Aerodrome Manual
(PDF Document, 2.42 MB)

Type 45 Destroyers

lord touhig: Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion system for the Type 45 Destroyers.

earl howe: This information is not held.

Type 45 Destroyers

lord touhig: Her Majesty's Government whether they have conducted a lessons learned exercise relating to the performance of the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion system for the Type 45 Destroyers.

earl howe: The Ministry of Defence has made extensive use of independent expertise to support the work on the Integrated Full Electric Propulsion system for the Type 45 Destroyers. This has given us confidence that the measures we have adopted will be effective in increasing reliability and resilience on the Type 45s, and has made a valuable contribution to ensure that the key lessons are available for future classes of warship.

Type 45 Destroyers

lord touhig: Her Majesty's Government when they expect to make the main investment decision for resolution of the power and propulsion issues relating to the Type 45 Destroyers.

earl howe: We aim to take the main investment decision and award the contract for the Power Improvement Project in early 2018.

Navy: Termination of Employment

lord touhig: Her Majesty's Government how many Royal Navy personnel left the service as a result of the cuts arising from the Strategic Defence and Security Review2010.

earl howe: A total of 1,137 Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel were made redundant under the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010.

Navy: Technology

lord touhig: Her Majesty's Government what technology they have employed to make personnel efficiencies in the Royal Navy.

earl howe: The Royal Navy (RN) continues to improve and refine the design, construction and reliability of ships and submarines while maximising technological advances: this allows complements to be smaller than previous generations. Development of autonomous systems such as unmanned underwater vehicles and underwater search and disposal systems are some of the main areas where we have experienced the greatest advances.

Home Office

*No heading*

baroness helic: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Williams of Trafford on extremism (HLWS40), how many institutions in the UK were found, or estimated, to teach deeply conservative forms of Islam, and to provide highly socially conservative literature and preachers to UK Islamic institutions; and how many individuals in total are estimated to study at those institutions.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government laid a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament on Wednesday 12 July, which conveyed the main findings of the review into the funding for Islamist extremist activity in the UK. The review has improved the Government’s understanding of the nature, scale and sources of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK.The review’s report is classified because of the volume of personal information it contains and for national security reasons. The Written Ministerial Statement is a comprehensive and representative reflection of the review’s findings; the Government has no plans to comment further on these.

*No heading*

baroness helic: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Williams of Trafford on extremism (HLWS40), what assessment they have made of the link between (1) the distribution of the highly socially conservative literature referred to in the review, and (2) extremist activity; and what action they plan to take to prevent the publication and distribution of such material in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government laid a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament on Wednesday 12 July, which conveyed the main findings of the Government’s review into the funding for Islamist extremist activity in the UK. The review has given us the best picture we’ve ever had of how extremists operating in the UK sustain their activities. It has improved our understanding of the nature, scale and sources of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK. The review’s report is classified because of the volume of personal information it contains and for national security reasons.No single measure will tackle all of the issues of concern raised in the review. The Government has looked carefully at the review’s findings and will build on the measures set out in the Written Ministerial Statement. The Government will also be establishing a powerful new Commission for Countering Extremism. The Commission will have an important role in supporting the Government’s efforts to defeat all forms of extremism.

*No heading*

lord hylton: Her Majesty's Government what definition of political and social extremism they used in the review mentioned by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 12 July (HLWS1040); and whether it included religious conservatism advocating female genital mutilation, honour killings and the application of Sharia law in the UK without the full consent of all parties affected.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government’s definition of extremism as set out in the Counter-Extremism Strategy published in October 2015, was used for the review. Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for the death of members of our armed forces as extremist.Advocating female genital mutilation, honour killings and the application of Sharia law in the UK without the full consent of all parties affected is vocal opposition to individual liberty and therefore extremist in the terms of this definition

HM Treasury

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to establisha cross-departmental working party to consider replacement of the Barnett Formula with a needs-based system of resource allocation, and what consideration they have given to putting such a system in place for the 2019-20 financial year.

lord bates: The government remains committed to the Barnett formula, and has no plans to replace it. The Barnett formula is designed to ensure that Devolved Administrations are funded in a transparent way to deliver their priorities within their devolved responsibilities. The government has also recently agreed a new fiscal framework for the Welsh Government, which both governments agree is fair for Wales and for the rest of the UK. The Barnett formula will remain central to the Welsh Government’s funding, while the introduction of a new needs-based factor will see their relative funding remain at a fair level for the long term.

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government what level of central Government spending per capita is anticipated for (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) London in the current financial year.

lord bates: The UK Government does not allocate planned spending on a regional basis. However, the latest figures for outturn public expenditure per capita in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and London are below. These were published in the government’s Country and Regional Anlalysis in November 2016. Area£ per head (2015-16 outturn)Wales9,996Scotland10,536Northern Ireland10,983London10,129

*No heading*

lord wigley: Her Majesty's Government what plans they have developed to ensure that, following Brexit, funding which has previously been supplied to Wales through European Structural Funds will be fully replaced with UK Treasury funds.

lord bates: The government has announced a number of guarantees for EU funding. These include European structural and investment fund projects signed before the UK leaves the EU, awards made by the European Commission following competitive bid processes, and maintaining the current level of agricultural funding under CAP pillar 1 until 2020. Beyond these priorities, decisions on the replacement of EU funding will be taken in light of wider UK strategic priorities and other domestic spending decisions. For example, as set out in our manifesto, the government will continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of the parliament, and will create a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

*No heading*

lord flight: Her Majesty's Government what was (1) the total income raised from the stamp duty levy on additional homes, and (2) the total amount refunded because a purchaser sold their main residence within three years of buying a new one, in 2016-17.

lord bates: The total income raised from the higher rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on additional homes for 2016-17 was £1,643m. This is the revenue from the additional 3% element only and therefore excludes the revenue from the main rates of SDLT on these properties. Statistics on repayments from the higher rate of SDLT on additional properties for 2016-17 are due to be published in July 2017.

*No heading*

lord flight: Her Majesty's Government what assumptions they made in forecasting expected revenue from the three percentage point stamp duty levy on the purchase of additional homes and homes available for rent.

lord bates: The key assumptions behind the forecast for expected revenue from the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) higher rates for additional properties are as set out in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 and Budget 2016 policy costings. The tax base was estimated by combining price and volumes data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Census 2011 and administrative data from SDLT and Council Tax. The tax base was projected to grow over the forecast period in line with the OBR Autumn Statement 2015 forecasts for residential SDLT, residential transactions and average house prices. The costing also accounted for a behavioural response. At Budget 2016 the size of the tax base was re-estimated by the OBR using HM Revenue and Customs administrative data from SDLT returns.

Cabinet Office

Groceries Code Adjudicator

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the event of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, whether they plan to amend domestic legislation prior to the ratification of any final outcome of negotiations with the EU.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the results of their review into the role and remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator; and whetherthe Adjudicatorwill have powers to (1)investigatealleged breachesof the Code on her own initiative, and (2) increase the level of fines in the event of a breach of the Code.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government whether they are planning to extend the remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator to cover the dairy sector.

baroness mcintosh of pickering: Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the results of their review into the role and remit of the Grocery Code Adjudicator; and whetherthe Adjudicatorwill have powers to (1)investigatealleged breachesof the Code on her own initiative, and (2) increase the level of fines in the event of a breach of the Code.

lord prior of brampton: The Government published the statutory review of the Grocery Code Adjudicator on 19 July. This review considered the Grocery Code Adjudicator’s performance within the current remit. The Government separately launched a Call for Evidence to consider whether the remit should be extended. The Government is considering the evidence submitted through the Call for Evidence including considering the position of indirect suppliers within the dairy sector. The Government will respond in due course. The Grocery Code Adjudicator can already investigate suspected breaches of the Code. It has published statutory guidance on how it will carry out investigation and enforcement functions on GOV.UK (GCA Statutory Guidance on Enforcement and Investigations). The review decided that the maximum level of fines the Grocery Code Adjudicator could impose would not be amended at this time.

Department for International Trade

*No heading*

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government how much (1) has been paid since July 2016, and (2) is budgeted to be paid in 2017–18, to recruitment agents or companies for the recruitment of staff to (a) the Department of International Trade, and (b) the Department for Exiting the European Union.

lord price: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has paid £1.15m to organisations for services relating to the recruitment of staff since July 2016. Recruitment costs are managed locally by the functional areas of DIT; there is no central budget for recruitment. My noble friend a copy of the figures relating to the Department for Exiting the European Union will be placed in the library of the House once they are made available.

*No heading*

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government how much (1) has been paid since July 2016, and (2) is budgeted for 2017–18, by the Department for International Trade for external legal advice

lord price: (1) The total amount that the Department for International Trade has spent on external legal services since the beginning of July 2016 is £135, 974.30.. (2) Department for International Trade has budgeted 1.5 million pounds in 2017/18 for external legal services that may be required.